Side Effects of Spironolactone

Spironolactone is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. Despite its effectiveness, spironolactone poses a risk of side effects in some patients.

Significance

• Spironolactone is a diuretic medication that removes excess fluids from your body through your excretory system. Because of this, frequent urination is a necessary and expected part of spironolactone use and not considered a side effect.

Common Side Effects

• Common side effects of spironolactone include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fevers. Some men develop impotence or a feminine swelling of breast tissue while taking spironolactone, while women report a complete lack of menstruation or the occurrence of menstruation after menopause.

Drug Interactions

• When combined with a heart drug treatment called an ACE inhibitor, spironolactone can cause an increase in potassium levels in your bloodstream. Over time, this can lead to a condition called hyperkalemia, which can damage or interfere with the heart and cardiovascular system.

Risks

• In some rare cases, use of spironolactone contributes to breast cancer in women. Gastric bleeding, kidney failure, inflammation of the liver and severe allergic reactions are additional risks of spironolactone.

Considerations

• Because spironolactone causes toxic effects on the developing fetus, doctors rarely prescribe the drug for pregnant women. If you have a history of liver or kidney disease or hyperkalemia, your doctor is not likely to recommend spironolactone for you due to its side effects.